Insulin resistance in uremia. Characterization of lipid metabolism in freshly isolated and primary cultures of hepatocytes from chronic uremic rats.

Abstract

(a) Hyperlipidemia in uremia is not due to increased synthesis, but to defect(s) in clearance. (b) Insulin does not stimulate lipid synthesis in uremia. This finding, along with our recent demonstration that insulin binding and internalization are not decreased in the uremic liver, suggests that a post-binding defect(s) in the liver plays an important role in the mechanism(s) of insulin resistance in uremia. (c) Cultured hepatocytes from uremic rats remain insulin resistant. This quality renders these cells useful in studying the postinsulin binding events responsible for the insulin-resistant state in the absence of complicating hormonal and substrate changes that occur in vivo.